Grati -Tuesday 23rd March 2021

HELLO!!!

What a week we are having so far! We certainly hope that you are able to stay dry. For those of you affected by flooding in some parts of the country, we wish you all the best and are sending our thoughts and prayers.

This week we have some beautiful words of gratitude from our troops. When you have the time, sit down and enjoy these letters. 

It means so much to know that the recipients of the quilts and laundry bags are able to take the time out of their busy lives to write to us and let us know what a difference these gifts make.

Please enjoy!!

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This photo has been sent to us by one of the Chaplains on Operation Covid Assist. They said these laundry bags were very well received and the recipients were very grateful, as you can see in the photo.

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G'day Ruth,

I had a great surprise in the mail today when I received your parcel. It was very much appreciated and it definitely brightened, not only my day, but it made my week at the very least. The Laundry bag that you put your time and effort into making for me is just perfect. Thank you so much.

Please pass on my thanks, and the thanks of the other soldiers, some who may not be able to get in touch with the other ladies who dedicate their time to making us a touch of home. I hope you and your family are well.

Regards

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Hi Veronica

Thank-you & AHQ for my quilt which arrived this afternoon.

It came as a total surprise and this wonderful personalised gift will be treasured.

Please pass on my thanks to Kalindi C. What a beautiful record of the years I have spent in the Navy. The quilt is so nicely designed and made, that it demonstrates your best wishes in a way that humbles me. 

I especially look forward to sharing this quilt with my two grandchildren. When they are a little older, I will be able to tell them about my navy career.

Thank-you for your beautiful work and kind wishes

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Dear Jenny,

I would like to send my sincerest thanks for my beautiful quilt. I LOVE IT.

You took my wishes and created a masterpiece, it also arrived on my birthday, so that was very special.

I am a nurse for the RAAF and have been in for 5 years now. I have been posted in the NT and now QLD with my partner. I have a dog who I haven’t met yet as my partner rescued him whilst I've been away on deployment.

I have a fantastic team over here and a few other members received their quilts today. Moral is high :-) 

I’m looking forward to returning home however, its the personal gestures such as this that make being away from home ok.

Thanks again Jenny to you and all the lovely members of AHQ for bring happiness and smiles to Camp.

Many Thanks,

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Hi Su,

I just wanted to personally thank you for my gorgeous laundry bag. The best laundry bag I've ever received by far.

Kind Regards,

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G’day Sheena,

Thank you for your letter and thank you so very much for my quilt. You’ve done more than justice to my request. Each time I look, I find something else to appreciate about that you have created. The creativeness you’ve achieved in tying in all the elements is truly fantastic. To be honest, I had provided a variance of things with the knowledge that not everything was achievable, so no forgiveness required. I’m truly appreciative of what you’ve created for me. I look forward to getting home to show my daughters. My mother spent a significant portion of my younger years quilting as well, so I’m familiar with the time effort these quilts require (not to mention a billiards table covered in material cuttings and quilting hoops!)

I’m married with 3 young daughters. They are crazy, beautiful, enraging, fascinating, frustrating, gorgeous little girls and it’s been tremendously rewarding to watch them develop into the individual little people they are becoming. The 2 eldest are learning gymnastics, with the eldest having been identified to begin competing this year. They seem to be made of rubber. I don’t ever remember being that flexible. My wife is a serving member also – Air Force as well. She is an ADFIS Investigator (Military Police), which are essentially the Military’s version of Detectives. We’ve been together for 13 years, married for 9.

We are currently posted in the NT, which is a fantastic place to be. This is my third posting to the NT – I love the place. We are quite outdoorsy, so the lifestyle suits us well. We have a 4WD and camper trailer, so once the dry season hits, we spend any weekend that I’m not racing exploring the region. The kids love going bush and cooking in the camp oven on an open fire, exploring, swimming in places ‘the southerner’s won’t go’ and trying to find lizards. We’ve been fortunate to find some frillys and blueys. No doubt we will encounter a legless version at some point. That will be an interesting experience for them! 😊

I’d just like to say thank you again for my quilt. I am truly grateful and I thank you on behalf of everyone that receives these. They are a talking point whenever a new member has one turn up. They are opened and displayed in the section for everyone to have a look at before they take up residence in the member’s room. The efforts that you all go to in supporting those of us here is truly commendable.

It is my absolute pleasure to have served our nation for the last 19 years. I wish you and your family well for the future.

 

Cheers

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G’day Sonia,

I am the lucky sailor that received you amazing Sloth themed laundry bag. It awesome!! I love it. I chose it because of my son, my wife and I believe his spirit animal is a sloth. He is a pretty casual lad.

So your bag made it all the way to WA and onto HMAS Ballarat, and ANZAC Class frigate. The ship has a busy year ahead and gestures like your bag really make our day!! 

I am the “Buffer” on the ship, my team look after the close in defence of the ship, drive it and the small boats embarked, and do a lot of painting!! I have spent nearly 27 years in the Navy and have loved every minute.  Thank you again for your lovely laundry bag, it’s going to see lots of the world.

Regards

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Hi Clarissa,

Firstly, let me start by thanking you for my hand-sewn laundry bag; it’s exactly what I was after.

Secondly, on behalf of all the deployed service men and women of the ADF, a massive thank you to you, Jan-Maree and the entire team of Aussie Hero Quilts and Laundry Bags. It’s truly humbling that anyone would volunteer their own time, as your team does, to demonstrate such appreciation for our service. While we don’t expect any thanks for serving the country we love, we still thoroughly appreciate it.

By way of introduction, I’m originally from NSW, but I am currently posted to QLD where I live with my partner and our daughter. We recently bought land and built our first home up there, with the intent to make this part of the world our permanent home. We also have 2 dogs who are essentially treated like our second and third child. Our block of land was bought purely on the basis of keeping them happy.

I’m also a keen gardener and put a lot of effort into my lawn (extra difficult given the energetic personalities of our dogs). We love the outdoors. Having grown up on the coast my partner and I love going for walks with our daughter and pups at the beach or along the river near our home. I love my sport, particularly rugby league and AFL. Being a New South Welshman (and a proud one at that- State of Origin is a very emotional time for me given where I live now), I do get behind the Waratah’s in the super rugby.

Once again, a sincere thanks from me for my laundry bag.

In a few short months I will be home again with my family in the country I’m honoured to serve.

All the best.

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Sonya, 

I received a laundry bag today via our Chaplain which was made by you. Thank you very much for the time, effort and thought that went into it.

Very much appreciated.

Regards

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Dear Ms Toni,

Thank you so much for the lovely work on the laundry bag you made for me. 

The bag is amazing !!! It stands out amongst all the others in the laundry. I think it makes me a bit of a show off, but I like it. I really appreciate the time and effort you put into this project.

So now to know a bit about me, I am an Aircraft Engineer deployed as a logistic Advisor to help the local Military to establish a robust logistic system. The intent is this will enable them to defend their citizens without outside help. It is a slow progress but we make progress every day.

Once again I would like to thank you for your support and the laundry bag, it is something I will cherish for a long time. !

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Hi Chris,

I received the awesome laundry bag that you made for me. It is amazing and a few of the other guys, who are Bombers supporters, are very jealous.

I will give you a bit of a run down on who I am and what I do. I was born in Vic, the second eldest of four. I moved around a bit with my parents until we started school. We settled in Vic, were we lived on a small farm with mainly dairy goats and some other animals. I played Aussie rules and didn’t have much time for any other sport.

I joined the Army as a 44th Class Fitter and Turner Apprentice, I then went on to become an armourer (maintain weapons) and a marine mechanic. I conducted 2 years of training in Vic, then did a year in QLD and a year in NSW to finish my Apprenticeship.

I met my wife whilst posted to Darwin and we have 2 children who now both live in Victoria.

We moved all over the place every 2/3 years until we spent 8 years in Vic, which was great for the kids to finish school. We moved to Townsville at the start of last year and we are hoping to move back to Victoria at the end of the year.

I am currently in the Middle East where I am the Senior Equipment Maintenance Supervisor for the whole area.

I am hoping to do another 8 years in the Army and retire, which will make it 40 years of service.

Once again, thank you very much for the laundry bag and we all appreciate the work you and the others ladies/gents do with the laundry bags and quilts.

Regards

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G’Day Clarissa,

Thank you so much for the quilt, I love it. I value the work you and others alike do to support us troops. It is great to know we have people like yourself who support us.

Thank you once again to you and your organisation. The work you do is truly valued and appreciated.

Regards.

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Dear Sue,

Thank you very much for my Hero Quilt!

I asked for this design for my little boy who is currently missing his dad. He is the real hero.

Sincerely

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Hi Ruth, 

I have just received my laundry bag you made for me. The Melbourne Storm part was excellent and I really appreciate you making it for me.

I know all the ADF personnel that receive laundry bags and quilts are very appreciative of your time and hard work in designing and making them for all of us.

Thank you for all your time and effort on behalf of all of my team over here and all the other ADF members.

Regards.

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Dear Clarissa

 I am the lucky and grateful recipient of a new, one of a kind laundry bag made by you.

I am currently deployed overseas as you know and I wanted to let you know that the sewing done by you and your friends is greatly appreciated by all of us. This is not just because of the wonderful hand made work you do but also because it lets us know that there are people at home who think that what we do is worthwhile. 

I am from WA and I have to confess that the bag you made me is going to go there as a special, one of a kind gift to my 5 year old son from his dad while I’m away. It’s got all the things he likes on it and more importantly it came not from me, but from people who are supportive of his sacrifice, letting me go for a long time. This time he missed out on surf kids because you have to go with your dad at his age. I will be there to take him in the second half of 2021.

I am genuinely appreciative of your work. The bag you made will stay with my family as long as it can last. Judging by the fine work-womanship you have employed, I imagine it will long outlast me.

Please pass on my thanks to Jan-Maree and the rest of your team. You guys are sew awesome.

Thank you,

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Good evening Bridget,

I recently received the amazing quit you made for me!

I can only imagine just how much work went into it and how long it took! It looks amazing! 

Thank you so much for the effort, I cannot express enough how impressed I am and how great it looks.

I hope that you and your family are well. 

Thank you again! 

Kind regards 

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That wraps up another week of fantastic letters of gratitude. We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did.

Stay safe, till next week...